The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1887-06-11

good deal of grass around the walls, and
gave one to Robbie and one to Bobbie
The small cousins smiled, and forgot tc
say thank you, and put the walls in the
breast-pockets of their frocks, then turn
ed to 90 home, for they were very far
away.
Now when they came in sight of the
stone wall near which they began to dig
up tho Galloping California cucumber
vine seed the mans wife had planted
they saw close up to that stone wall 9
hogshead.
When Mr.. Pope's man was taking it to
the man who was to use it for rain
water hogshead, the cart broke down,
and Mr.. Pope's man rolled the hogshead
against the stone wall and left it there.
Just as the small cousins came in
sight of this molasses hogshead, they saw
the man who shook his fist at them when
they began to dig up the seeds of the
California Galloping cucumber vine. He
was coming from his house very fast
holding something which looked like q
big stick.
Now this man was the very man who
had bought Mr.. Pope's molasses hogs
head to catch rain-water in, and the
thing which looked like big stick was
piece of lead pipe, which he was going
to fasten to his rain-water spout, and he
stepped quick because it was beginning
to rain. This is the most interesting part
of the whole story as will be seen pres
emily.
The small cousins were afraid of the
man, and ran and hid in the molasses
hogshead and picked off what sugar had
been left on, and while they did this the
rain began to pour and to make a loud
noise upon the hogshead. They crept
in to the far end, and at last, when they
had been waiting long, they leaned their
heads against each other, and whoever
had looked in there few minutes after
would have seen two small, damp, sugsry
boys fast asleep.
The part that is going to be told now is
the most interesting part of the whole
story.
When the man who had bought Mr..
Pope's molasses hogshead to catch rain
water in had made ready his water-spout,
and the rain had ceased, he went to roll
his hogshead home, and being in hurry
he gave it kick which sent it rolling
over. Strange sounds came from the in
side, and as it stopped there crept out
from it the poor little hiders, scared
half out Of their wits, and more scared
than ever when they saw the man who
had made them stop digging up the
seeds of the Galloping California cucum-
Der vine.
"How came you in there?" said the
man, talking very fast. Don't cryl Any
bones broken? Can you jump? Gan
you clap your hands? Try now!
He set them jumping and clapping,
and finding no bones broken, told them
to go home as fast-l they could 90.
They went home as fast as they could
go; but it must be mentioned here that,
just as they were starting, they felt sort
of wet feeling near their breast pockets.
This wet feeling was caused by the break
ing of the essence of peppermint walls,
and the essence OF peppermint soaking
through.
Our small travellers soon reached
home, but, knowing how damp and sug-
airy their clothes we're, they felt ashamed
to go in, and waited out in the shed.
Robbie's mother had just asked his faith
er to go and find them, for it was then
after supper. He went out, and it pass
ing through the shed smelled strong
smell of peppermint, and turning to find
where it came from, spied the boys quite
near him, croaching behind some barrels.
Without saying anything to them he
went in and asked his wife if she had a
large baking-pan.
Chow larger" she asked.
"Large enough for baking two Ginger
bread boys" he answered.
"How large are your Gingerbread
boys?"
"Tll show you," he said, and went out,
and soon came back leading the small
cousins. "Here are my Gingerbread
boysP said he. "They are rather soft.
They will need hot oven."
Peppermint Boys, should think
cried his wife, shifting; and by this time
every body in the room was shifting, and
laughing, and asking questions. The
small cousins drew from their breast
pockets the upper parts of the peppermint,
walls, with the corks still in them.
While they ate their supper they told
their story; but Robbie's mother would
not lot them lean against her table cloth.
-A--